Town hears it from dog breeders

Lewiston Town Board members
heard it from area dog breeders during a public hearing Dec. 13 en route to the
town procedurally approving new Local Law No. 4 covering dog control.

But unlike a similar Porter
hearing the same night that saw no comments, the Lewiston session did include
complaints directed to Supervisor Steve Reiter and the board, at times spicing
up what was otherwise a low-key, pre-holiday session.

Lewiston, like other
municipalities, has taken on the logistics of dog licensing following the
state's transferring of the task during its earlier budget debates this past
spring. But unlike others in the area, Lewiston opted to tweak the fees a little,
particularly with regards to breeders.

Under provisions of the dog
control law, which went on to pass that night, Lewiston dog owners will pay $10
to license spayed/neutered dogs, up from $7.50, and $20 for
unspayed/un-neutered dogs, up from $15. However, for those who hold purebred
licenses, particularly those with a significant number of dogs in the town,
those fees are spiking - from a flat fee of $100 for owners of 25 dogs to a fee
of $500 or more. Current fees for breeders of 25 or fewer dogs stands at a flat
$50.

The town has seven purebred
license holders and board members heard their complaints that night. "It really
adds up when you consider all the costs of breeding a dog," commented Kline
Road breeder Tom Castillo, who asked the town's rationale for hitting on such a
limited group.

"We take our business
seriously," said Ridge Road breeder Steve Stevens, a breeder of Great Danes who
told of quality control issues a breeder must contend with.

That comment was seconded
by a Lower Mountain Road resident and breeder who spoke of the costs involved
with raising her dogs for shows and to compete in championships.

Reiter told the group the
town factored in anticipated revenue as it wrote up the new law, but added it
had not fully taken into consideration the impact on breeders.

"It's not a money-making
proposition for us," said Reiter to the residents, sounding sympathetic to
their concerns. "We're not out to disrupt you; our intent is to prevent puppy
mills."

Pointing out that Lewiston
is the first community in Niagara County to have its own dog park, Reiter
stressed to the group, "We're pro-dog."

Discussions followed; town
Attorney Mike Dowd advised the board to pass the law and modify it as needed
later on, while Town Board member Al Bax, responding to a suggestion of
grandfathering in existing breeders, called it "a quick fix," and said the town
needs to do more to correct the law.

Reiter agreed and the
matter closed with board members Ron Winkley and Mike Marra assigned to work on
addressing the breeders' fee concerns.

Soon after, the board
unanimously approved the measure.

In other news, the board:

•Approved the seeking of
sealed bids to acquire generators for the town Highway Department garage, Town
Hall, and Lewiston Police administration building on the Lew-Port campus.

•Approved a low bid of
$5,983.20 from CJ Sound for a new sound system in the Town Hall meeting room.

•Approved a 90-day
extension deadline for the town to proceed with Upstate Cellular and Verizon
Wireless on a cell tower application for West Street.

•Approved Reiter requests
of fund transfers of: $59,000 for two highway department expenditures, $9,500
for haz-mat expenditures, and $6,000 for the Water Department to cover the
costs of new meters.

•Announced that the regular
Town Board meeting/final audit will take place Thursday, Dec. 30, at 6 p.m.

•Announced that it will
hold a re-organizational meeting and its January work session on Thursday, Jan.
6, 2011, at 6 p.m.